The Shadow Summoner | Book Three - PJO Universe

eight

MEG!!

Being a demigod, Ariana had naturally being on too many quests to count but she had never searched for a place to die on them.

The girl never planned on dying, not on a quest anyway. She quite liked living.

"Ariana, Calypso?" Apollo said weakly.

"Yeah?" The two girls responded simultaneously.

"If we die here, I'd just like to say you aren't as bad as I originally thought, Calypso. And uh, Ariana if we die, I just want you to know your hair is very pretty and I appreciate how you listen to me rambling."

"Thanks, but we're not going to die. That would deprive me of killing you." Calypso said.

Ariana gave a smile to Apollo, one she hoped was reassuring to the former god.

Lityerses chuckled. "Oh, you two. Bantering like you have a future. It must be hard for former immortals to accept that death is real. Me, I've died. Let me tell you, it's no fun."

"You're the son of King Midas," Ariana said. "You came back to the mortal world when the Doors of Death were open?"

The swordsman curled his lip. "We came through the Doors of Death, all right. Then my idiot father promptly got himself killed again, thanks to a run-in with Leo Valdez and his crew. I survived only because I was turned into a gold statue and covered with a rug."

Calypso backed toward the griffins. "That's...quite a story."

"I don't believe I was there," Ariana said sweetly, "perhaps I was busy in Tartarus at the time. Do you want to retell the story? Just for references of course."

Of course she was there, and she remembered the memory very clearly.

If there was one thing about being friends with demigods from Cabin Six, it was you quickly learn that in any dangerous situation you talk.

It doesn't matter about the subject, but its intention is to distract your enemy long enough for somebody (or yourself) to think of a plan

Unfortunately for Ariana, this time it seemed the enemy didn't care enough about his past experiences.

"Doesn't matter," snarled the swordsman. "The Triumvirate offered me work. They recognized the worth of Lityerses, Reaper of Men!"

"Impressive title," Apollo managed.

He raised his sword. "I earned it, believe me. My friends call me Lit, but my enemies call me Death!"

"I'll call you Lit," Apollo decided. "Though you don't strike me as very lit. You know, your father and I used to be great friends. Once, I even gave him ass's ears."

Lit gave him a cruel smile. "Yes, I grew up hearing about that music contest you made my dad judge. Gave him donkey ears because he declared your opponent the winner? Heh. My father hated you so much for that, I was almost tempted to like you. But I don't." He sliced through the air in a practice swipe. "It'll be a pleasure to kill you."

"Hold on!" Apollo shrieked. "What about all that take them alive business?"

Lit shrugged. "I changed my mind. First, that roof collapsed on me. Then my bodyguards got swallowed by a stand of bamboo. I don't suppose you know anything about that?"

"No."

"Right." He regarded Calypso. "I think I'll keep you alive long enough to kill you in front of Valdez's face. That'll be fun. But this former god here..." Lit shrugged. "T'll just have to tell the emperor he resisted arrest."